Md. Wing Resumes Bay Patrol Flights

Senior Member David McNally
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
Harford Composite Squadron
Maryland Wing

While Maryland residents are taking advantage of summer weather and enjoying the Chesapeake Bay and all its waters have to offer, the Maryland Wing is on Bay Patrol to make sure everything is OK.

Civil Air Patrol aircrews conduct weekend and holiday flights from Memorial Day to Labor Day, scanning the Chesapeake Bay from above to identify and report what officials call “unusual observations in the vicinity of vital facilities," as well as identifying, reporting and coordinating assistance to boaters in distress.

The wing “has a successful history of conducting missions along the Chesapeake Bay,” said Col. Joseph Winter, Maryland Wing commander. “This is in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, local marine law enforcement and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.”

Winter said the wing has the ability to provide mission critical support by expanding its role to include keeping an eye on critical infrastructures on the Chesapeake Bay.

“By adding another resource to monitor for environmental, ecological or hostile human threats to the state of Maryland and the United States, CAP adds a cost-effective force multiplier to increase our overall capability to protect these assets that are critical to the health of the state and nation,” Winter said.